1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cable carrying suited for a mechanism unit associated with mechanical displacement such as a carrying mechanism that carries a cartridge recording medium, and, more particularly, to a cable carrying mechanism and a library apparatus that protects a cable following positional displacement such as rotation.
2. Description of the Related Art
With regard to a library apparatus that stores a cartridge recording medium (hereinafter, “recording medium”) storing a program, etc. and performs read/write of the recording medium, the library apparatus includes a storage shelf that stores the recording medium, a record reproduction apparatus that is used for recording into or reproduction from the recording medium, a medium transport mechanism that is used for delivery and transportation of the recording medium between the storage shelf and the record reproduction apparatus. The medium transport mechanism includes a gripping mechanism unit that grips and releases the recording medium, a mechanism unit that moves the position of the recording medium, etc., and each mechanism unit is equipped with a multiplicity of driving sources such as a motor that is supplied with electric power to generate a mechanical force. For the driving sources that should be supplied with electric power, a multiplicity of cables is needed for supplying electric power from outside or transmitting control signals; for the cable connected to the driving source mounted on a mechanism unit generating positional displacement, the length must allows for the movement of the mechanism unit; an extra length must be ensured for alleviating stress exerted by the positional displacement of the mechanism unit; and a position selected for disposing the cable is a space where the movement of the mechanism unit does not disturbed. If a plurality of mechanism units is tightly located or if the mechanism unit is adjacent to the wall of the apparatus, a space for disposing the cable is narrowed down and a degree of freedom is reduced in the cable disposition. If the cable poorly follows the movement of the mechanism unit, the cable is subjected to stress loading such as bending or twisting.
Such a cable apparatus includes a cable guide apparatus in a library apparatus that includes a two-section link between a turning member connected to a cable and a main body and that includes a guide unit on the link to guide the cable as the turning member turns (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 04-156217) and a cable apparatus in an automatic die exchanging device performing turning, ascending and descending movement that can easily guide a cable following the rotation and the vertical movement because a cable between turning units and a vertical movement cable between ascending/descending units are included (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 05-228553).
By the way, when a library apparatus is equipped with two medium transport mechanism units that deliver recording media between a storage shelf storing recording media and a record reproduction apparatus, a machine density (mounting efficiency) becomes high in the apparatus chassis; the medium transport mechanism units need a plurality of stop positions; and since a medium gripping mechanism unit gripping the recording medium has a rotational structure driven by a motor, a cable connected to each driving source is subjected to excessive stress due to the rotation.
To avoid such stress, as shown in FIG. 18, a library apparatus 200 includes a medium transport mechanism unit 202 for transporting a recording medium. On the medium transport mechanism unit 202, a medium gripping mechanism unit 204 is disposed for gripping the recording medium, and the medium gripping mechanism unit 204 is mounted on a rail unit 206 for horizontal movement and includes a swivel mechanism unit 208 for swiveling on the rail unit 206. On the medium gripping mechanism unit 204, flexible flat cables (FFC) 216, 218 and relay printed boards 220, 222 are disposed for feeding motors 210, 212, 214, etc. with electric power. Each FFC 216, 218 is formed by inserting about three cables; the FFC 216 is bent into a U shape; and the FFC 218 is disposed such that gaps between components are filled. The relay printed board 220 is used for relaying between horizontal movement (arrow X) and vertical movement (arrow Y), is connected to one end of the FFC 216, 218, and is connected to a FFC 224 for supplying power from outside. The relay printed board 222 relays the linear movement of the medium gripping mechanism unit 204 and the swiveling movement (arrow S) of the swivel mechanism unit 208 and is connected to one end of the FFC 216 and the other end of the FFC 218. On the medium gripping mechanism unit 204, a protective cover 226 is disposed for protecting the FFC 218, etc. The medium transport mechanism unit 202 swivels, for example, from a position shown in FIG. 19A to a position shown in FIG. 19B for gripping and transporting the recording medium.
To support the movement pattern and the movement direction of the movable units, the relay printed boards 220, 222 has been used for connecting the FFCs 216, 218, 224, and the FFCs 216, 218 has been protected by the arrangement such as the insertion or the direct protection using the protective cover 226.
Description will be made of the operation of the medium transport mechanism unit 202 of the library apparatus 200 and the behavior of the FFCs 216, 218 with reference to FIGS. 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, and 22B. In FIGS. 20A to 22B, FIGS. 20A, 21A, and 22A are plan views of the library apparatus 200, and FIGS. 20B, 21B, and 22B are side views thereof.
When the medium transport mechanism unit 202 faces toward a record reproduction apparatus 232 from the front side of the library apparatus 200 as shown in FIG. 20A, the behavior of the FFCs 216, 218 is as shown in FIG. 20B.
The medium transport mechanism unit 202 is disposed at the center of the library apparatus 200, and a medium shelf 228 and a medium shelf 230 are disposed to the right and the left of the medium transport mechanism unit 202, respectively. In the medium transport mechanism unit 202, the FFC 216 is disposed from the front side of the library apparatus 200 toward the record reproduction apparatus 232, and the FFC 218 is disposed in the medium gripping mechanism unit 204. The FFC 218 is disposed in parallel with the swivel mechanism unit 208 described above.
In FIGS. 20A and 20B, an arrow a shows the movement of the medium gripping mechanism unit 204 and the direction thereof; an arrow b shows the movement direction of the medium gripping mechanism unit 204 and an end 216E of the FFC 216; an arrow c shows the movement direction of the FFC 216; an arrow d shows the clockwise turning of the medium gripping mechanism unit 204; an arrow e shows the anticlockwise turning of the medium gripping mechanism unit 204; and an arrow f shows the rotation of the FFC 218. In this case, since the medium gripping mechanism unit 204 is located at the front side of the library apparatus 200, the overlap portion of the FFC 216 becomes the longest.
When the medium transport mechanism unit 202 moves from the front side of the library apparatus 200 toward the record reproduction apparatus 232 and the medium gripping mechanism unit 204 faces toward the medium shelf 228 as shown in FIG. 21A, the behavior of the FFCs 216, 218 is as shown in FIG. 21B. An arrow g shows the rotation of the FFC 218.
When the medium transport mechanism unit 202 moves from the front side of the library apparatus 200 toward the record reproduction apparatus 232 and the medium gripping mechanism unit 204 faces toward the medium shelf 230 as shown in FIG. 22A, the behavior of the FFCs 216, 218 is as shown in FIG. 22B. In this case, arrows h, i show the behavior of the FFC 218, and the FFC 218 is double folded and is subjected to considerable bending stress.
When the FFCs are used, although the occupation of the disposition space can be alleviated, the considerable stress is concentrated by the movement. In the FFCs, the relay printed boards must be disposed to support the movement pattern of the movable units.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication Nos. 04-156217 and 05-228553 do not disclose such problems and do not indicate or disclose the solutions thereof.